When I began my career, the primary focus of Jewish learning was content mastery. One could
master Tanach, Talmud, Hebrew literature, Jewish history. Our metrics for success were
longitudinal outcomes: graduates’ memberships in campus life and in adult synagogues, future
support of Jewish causes, and reduced interfaith marriage.

Along came the Information Age. Our quest for content mastery was helped by technologies
that put content into convenient places, cross-referenced and hyperlinked. Yet, as all this great
content became easily accessible, infinitely more content appeared. With that came the
realization that nobody was going to be able to be the kol bo, the person who could master
everything. As the ability to access Jewish knowledge was flattening the playing field, people
looked to create their own personal brand of Jewishness and Judaism. Finally, there was
recognition: Dues memberships no longer effectively measured success and that interfaith
marriage was no longer universally accepted as a measure of failure.

With this arose the growth of networks and collaboration. The new wisdom became: Since you
can’t know everything, know more people. Fill in blanks in your knowledge and in your Jewish
life using technology and your network.

In practical terms, I know good amount of Talmud, but am history-challenged. If I need the
historical context that tells me why an ancient rabbi ruled on an issue in the way that he did, I
can crowdsource it. Someone in my network will know the answer.

And our students? They, too, cannot master all content they need to lead exceptional Jewish
lives, given challenges of time, budgets, and such. What they can master are skills and
motivation linking them to Jewish knowledge, Jewish wisdom, and the Jewish people. Along
with that must come the ability and desire for Jewish learners to create their own paths,
balancing what it means to be an individual Jew with what it will mean to be part of an
emerging Jewish community of the future.

My humble opinion is that the goal of Jewish learning today is to build the connectivity — the
capacity — that empowers Jews to connect to other Jews, Jewish families, Jewish
communities, and Jewish wisdom and knowledge.

Regularity of visits to websites dedicated to Jewish wisdom and texts.

Participation in volunteer work that is motivated by Jewish values.

Jewish Connectedness –Why Be Jewish?

The goal of all Jewish learning must be to build the capacity of all Jews to connect. That
connectivity requires social skills, technological skills, and critical thinking. It also requires a
shared vocabulary (including basic Hebrew knowledge) and shared cultural expectations. The
knowledge to be mastered today is that which gives the Jewish people the ability to play in the
same sandbox, including understanding the shared stories that define us.
In today’s world, why be Jewish at all?

1. Being Jewish provides a lens through which to see the world. Being Jewish is not there to
close us off from our neighbors (or spouses or other family members who are not Jewish); it
is a way of relating to them that is grounded in our experience.
2. Jewishness is a means to an end – the goal of a peaceful world, one in which human needs
are met.
3. Jewish peoplehood, as expressed in community, is a powerful model for other peoples of
the world.
4. Being Jewish is a path towards the Godly, the holy.
5. As Jews, we contribute to the cumulative wisdom of the world in which we live. Our
people’s wisdom and literature are a part of humanity’s wisdom.
Let’s join forces in looking for how to best educate connected Jews for an exciting Jewish
future.You are encouraged to share this article with colleagues. We ask only that you let people know that this article originally appeared in NewCAJE’s online journal, The Jewish Educator. Other articles on this topic may be found on the NewCAJE website, http://www.newcaje.org.Rabbi Arnold D. Samlan is founder of Jewish Connectivity (www.JewishConnectivity.com), a consulting and Jewish Life Coaching practice. An innovative and creative Jewish educational leader and rabbi, his programs and teachings impact learners, leaders, and professionals nationally. His podcast, Meet Me at the Tzomet (Intersection), connects challenges of everyday life to Jewish wisdom ( http://jcastnetwork.org/Tzomet).